The Red Sox picked up the 14-9 win over the Orioles Sunday, in a game that saw the Red Sox bats come alive. The Red Sox have now won 6 straight, largely in part to JD Martinez’s hot start to the season. Also in large part to Rafael Devers making some key plays during the series.
Martinez is 17-for-36 to start the season, and has 8 home runs. 3 of which were hit Sunday while Martinez had ‘ridiculously high’ pollen after being put on COVID protocols the day before.
After entering the series hitting just .105 on the season, Devers went 6-for-13 during the series while adding some crucial defensive plays. He also hit 2 homers Sunday.
Verdugo mashed his first homer of the season, while Martinez added his first of the ballgame making it a 4-run 3rd inning for the Sox. In the bottom half of the frame Nick Pivetta made an incredible play at home plate to stop the Orioles from scoring with the bases loaded.
The Red Sox would pick up 5 runs in the 5th to make it 9-1, which included a long ball from Devers. Martinez would smack another homer to make it 10-1.
A 3-run HR Pivetta would give up in the 6th, finishing the day allowing 4 ER off of 7 hits in 6 innings. In addition he issued 7 strikeouts and a walk, and would be credited with the win.
“When they come up there and start putting a couple runs across the board, you get to relax a little bit more; kind of ease into it,” Pivetta said.
Austin Brice would pitch the 7th, allowing 3 runs to make it 10-7 as the Orioles made it a bit interesting. Sawamura would have to finish off the inning, as Brice only managed to get 2 outs.
The Red Sox would then bounce right back though in the 8th with homers from Martinez and Devers to make it 14-7. Sawamura would pitch a scoreless 8th.
Phillips Valdez would enter for the 9th inning, allowing 2 runs. But the right-hander would capture the final out of the ballgame, which would tally the Red Sox 6th straight win.
JD Martinez would finish the series totaling 6 homers, putting his season total at 8.
“He’s locked in,” said Cora. “You can tell, walking around and talking to him. He is a guy I saw in ’18 and ’19. He has an idea of what he wants to do. He doesn’t deviate from his process.”
The Red Sox had a tally of 27 runs during the series, compared to just 5 runs in the previous versus the Orioles.
The Red Sox will take on the Twins Monday at 2:10 PM EST. They have a four-game-split that will really test this Red Sox team.
**PHOTO VIA – ROB CARR**